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 Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 8:37 pm
When she approached the shrine, Ralifa took a little bit of time to examine it properly. She had been thrust into the thick of everything that she never had too much time to really stop and look at things.
Upon entering she noticed the two podiums, one with a statue and one without. Moving towards the one without she read the words, noting the scratched out portions. How strange, but there must be a reason why they were scratched out as so.
She approached the Goddess now, who seemed busy but not? It wasn't until the Goddess spoke that she realized her attention was on her fully now. A smile on her lips as she handed Ralifa the bag with the key. Opening it produced nothing and the Goddess seemed perplexed for only a moment.
Get the heart? Ralifa's head turned slowly to look at the small doorway that lead to who knew where. Well, she said secret labs but what were secret labs anyhow? But her Goddess had given her a task and she was going to complete it. "I will not fail you Goddess."
With scissors in hand, Ralifa squeezed through the small doorway. Stumbling at first at how low it was.
Once fully through she straightened herself off, dusting off her form and making sure she still had her bad. And the scissors. Luckily she hadn't poked herself with them. Before her were three strange doors. Similar but slightly different. Each having a different symbol. She looked at each, but what really drew her was the center door with the hook spiral. It was scratched out as well.....just like the words on the statue.
How strange.
It was as if someone had a childish fit and wanted to scratch it out of existence. Yes this door would do, she pushed on it. When it did not move she pushed harder until finally it shifted and she stumbled through into darkness.
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Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 8:38 pm
The door swung shut with a loud slam.
In the darkness she could hear voices. Voices calling to her. Speaking an unfamiliar name that her mind could not comprehend. Images, overlapping of faces and scenes flooded her field of view before they quickly faded away. Leaving only darker figures in the darkness.
She couldn't remember.
Ralifa moved further into the darkness. It seemed a path was lain out for her. Or at least there were no obstacles in her path for the time being. She took little comfort in the darkness.
Smack!
"Ow!" She rubbed her face, eyes trying to focus on what it was that she had run into. Taking a step back she found in front of her a large crate. How odd. She moved left, right. Tried to wiggle an arm through but it seemed to block the entire path.
Something shifted and drew her attention to the top. What was that? Curiosity drew her to climb up and peer inside. A strange shape sticking out, she reached for it. It felt like fabric, an unexpected feel from just looking at it. Odd. A sudden thumping noise now had her full attention, a yellow glow. She pushed aside more fabric and found it. A glowing yellow heart.
This must've been what the Goddess told her to get. Grasping it, Tugging a few times, it was stuck. Ah ha right the scissors! Pulling them out, she now noticed the strings tied to the heart, binding it to the mass of fabric. Delicately she began to snip the strings.
"Mother...."
......
"No no no, that's not right." The older woman smelled of spice. Veils trailed from her thin form as she dumped bottles of liquid out onto the ground which turned black and began to rot. "If you are not going to take this seriously you might as well just become a gatherer."
She felt depressed, she hated the fact that she was such a failure. Sister always did so well so why couldn't she. Rubbing her arm she gave a sigh. Would she ever find her calling? Nothing seemed to fit. Half the time she was unsure if she fit here at all.
The older woman put her palm to her forehead, closing her eyes. "Just go." She pointed towards the tent flap. And she obeyed. Her head stooped just a bit as she walked barefoot through the dusty street, her one long veil trailing behind her as a tight lipped frown held firm behind her face mask. When she finally reached home she stopped in front. Looking up at the large tent before sighing and going inside.
Mother was home apparently, sitting on a lounging couch with some scrolls spread out in her lap. A warm smile coming to her lips as she spotted her youngest. "How did it go today?" She moved the scrolls to a nearby table, patting the couch beside her.
Reluctantly she flopped on the couch, wrapping her arms around her mother's waste and burying her face into the veils that covered her stomach. "Horribly." It was the only word she could really must to say. Mother's face softened more as she removed the young girl's hat, running thin fingers through her shock of blue hair.
"It'll be ok, don't give up. You'll figure it out, you're a smart girl."
....
Then it was gone. Ralifa blinked as it faded slowly. Familiar feelings rolled through her. Happiness, regret, sadness. They were almost a bit overwhelming. But she had freed the heart and placed it in her bag, cinching it up. She moved away from the crate. Confused.
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Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 8:39 pm
Happily, Ralifa continued on along the dark path. Humming a little tune to herself. But she could not shake the feeling of not being alone. As she walked, the floor began to stick to her feet. And soon she was ankle deep, then knee deep.
Well this was odd.
"Please give it back."
She turned in a circle quickly. "Who's there?!" Squinting into the darkness she saw nothing. But she swore she had heard someone else. Slowly she turned back the direction she had been heading.
"Please give me back my-"
A loud splash. Two hands wrapped around her throat and pushed her down under the dark water. Eyes wide as she clawed at the hands, she couldn't breath.
"Give me back my heart."
Her body thrashed. Legs kicked. Staring down at her were blank grey eyes. Sunk into an even greyer face. Ralifa gasped. The sound of a small child crying rang in her ears, far away at first then closer and closer until...
....
She knelt with tiny hands in the dirt. Tears streaming down dark colored cheeks as she leaned over the broken pot, a tiny gold fish flopped and gasped in the dust.
"It's going to dieeeeeeee!" Dirty hands rubbed at her eyes which stung. She didn't know what to do, it was suffocating right in front of her. Her fish. Her precious fish. She had caught it herself and was going to raise it to be a big strong fish.
The jingling of bells and beads arrived as a tall, slender shadow fell over the little girl. Big brown eyes looking up as she took a long sniff. A soft smile behind veils. "Mama...."
Kneeling, she picked up one of the bigger broken pot pieces and poured a little bit of water into it before placing the fish in it. "Dry your tears child, he will be ok. Now lets get him home and find him a nice glass bowl to live in hm?" She placed a hand a top her daughter's head, petting her lightly.
"Y-yes!" The little girl was full of new found vigor as she sprang to her feet. A smile on her dirty tear stained face as she took the older woman's hand.
...
"Mama...." Ralifa's eyes stung from tears. A pain in her chest. What was this...?
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Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 10:17 pm
She felt herself slipping. Fading. The hands around her throat only exacerbating her choking issue with the water. She should just....let go...
No!
Ralifa could not, she would not. Her eyes snapped open and then she remembered. The scissors! Grasping them tightly in her hand, she reared her arm back and then jammed them as hard as she could into the creature's chest. Right where it's heart had been. She pulled them out and did it again. And again. A fourth, fifth time until the hands slipped from her throat and the grey figure reeled back, clawing at the scissors protruding from it's chest.
And then it was gone. Poof. The water, gone. Ralifa lay on the hard, cold ground. Turning over onto her stomach as water came rushing out of her mouth. Coughing and gagging she lay in the dark. The sound of screaming ringing in her ears. Her heart pulsing quickly as she tried to regain her composure.
Then a light. A saving light. Was it a door? Yes! Yes a door! Even though she still felt weak she somehow scrambled to her feet, grasping her bag tightly and sprinted for the door. Collapsing against it's frame and panting. She turned to look back into the darkness. In the distance the figure, scissors still in it's chest, stared back with desperate grey eyes. She clutched at the door frame before stumbling through.
The door closing behind her. Blocking the horrible grey eyes from staring at her anymore.
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:16 pm
Day 2 Task Ralifa stood at attention as the Goddess spoke. Face her fears? Well she figured she had already faced quite a bit of her fears lately. But there was more, from the way the Goddess spoke. Her spine went rigid once the Goddess descended from her perch, circling around her. Sizing her up. Passing a minor judgement upon her. Eat or be eaten. Those words rang clear in her mind. For some odd reason survival of the fittest creeped into her mind. It was a catchy phrase, she liked that one more. In her hands was placed the jeweled dagger. Simple in design, but it's blade was probably ten times as sharp as one might think. A simple thing with a nasty bite. She enjoyed that thought to. Ralifa didn't see the point of super shiney and decorated objects. Weapons were made for killing. She was ready. At least she felt ready. But she knew that whatever the Goddess had in store she would never be truly ready for. She could talk herself blue in the face about being ready, but diving head first into the unknown always left a tingly feeling running up the back of her neck. A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Once she was dismissed, Ralifa headed towards the thin opening. Glancing back at the Goddess only for a moment before stepping through. The Goddess' gaze felt like hot coals on her back. --- Awaking with a start, Ralifa was blinded by bright white light. "What....?" Her voice was groggy, throat felt parched. A drink of water would be nice. The feel of cold metal beneath her got an instant reaction as she sat straight up, holding herself upright with one hand. She didn't like the cold, sterile feeling of this table she had been on. So she swung her legs over the edge and stood, only to stumble forward. Catching herself on the cold hard table with one hand. Ralifa wanted away from this cold thing. Blinking, she looked around the room. It was white, plain. Only four walls, nothing more. She didn't like this room either. But soon she could make out a door. Ralifa rushed to it, slamming her body against it's hard surface. "Please don't be locked please don't be locked...." With a quick turn of the handle the door swung open and she stumbled out into an equally as bright hallway. Was that? Yes! And exit not too far away. A sudden slamming noise caused her to jump and quickly turn to look at the door to the room. It was still open....strange. Peering into the room she saw nothing and went back into the hall. Another slam. She turned again as it was accompanied by a metallic scraping noise. A black figure seemed to leap off the wall, rusted scissors in one hand. Large lifeless eyes peering at her. Screw this, Ralifa took off down the hallway towards the exit. She wasn't going to stand around and let that thing put it's hands on her.
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Yayoi rolled 1 4-sided dice:
3
Total: 3 (1-4)
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:17 pm
Upon reaching the door she noticed instantly, from trying to push it open, that it was locked. She panicked only just a bit. Pushing again and again until words on the handle caught her eye.
Passcode Required.
s**t, she didn't have a passcode. Or even really know what a passcode was. She looked at the number pad next to the door. Smashing her fist into all the numbers at once. A red light popped on.
Turning to look, the figure had drawn closer. A voice taunted her, telling her of how disappointed it was in her. How she had failed everyone. Her loved ones, her friends, her people. She didn't know what it meant.
She began pushing on the doors once more frantically.
Distance: 45
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Yayoi rolled 1 4-sided dice:
2
Total: 2 (1-4)
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:18 pm
Distance: 40
You see a piece of paper to your left. It is stained in red. You read it.
A C E G.
-If you have NOT examined the code by rolling a 4 before this roll, you panic when you see this slip as you do not know what it means. Subtract 5 feet from the distance between you and the follower. You must now roll a 4 to escape.
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Yayoi rolled 1 4-sided dice:
3
Total: 3 (1-4)
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:19 pm
She pushed. And pushed and pushed and pushed. Maybe if she just kept on pushing the doors would break open. Or...or something!
Distance: 35
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Yayoi rolled 1 4-sided dice:
2
Total: 2 (1-4)
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:20 pm
A flutter of paper caught her attention and she snapped it up. Maybe this would help her. Frantic eyes roamed over what was scribbled upon it.
"................."
It didn't make any sense!
Distance: 30
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Yayoi rolled 1 4-sided dice:
3
Total: 3 (1-4)
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:21 pm
She abandoned the idea of the paper helping her for her original plan. To push these damn doors open. She would take them off their hinges if she had to! "Ooopppeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!" Ralifa glanced back only momentarily, the figure closer. The scraping sounds louder.
Distance: 25
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Yayoi rolled 1 4-sided dice:
3
Total: 3 (1-4)
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:22 pm
Still pushin on them doors.
Distance: 20
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Yayoi rolled 1 4-sided dice:
1
Total: 1 (1-4)
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:22 pm
Ralifa looked around. Was this the only exit?
The world around her blurred. A memory flashed in her mind. The figure was there, but.....different. She looked different. She looked...alive. Even though she had a veil covering half her face, she could tell from her eyes that she was smiling. A proud, warm smile.
"Mama..."
Distance: 15
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Yayoi rolled 1 4-sided dice:
1
Total: 1 (1-4)
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:23 pm
But it wouldn't be the only flash of memory she would get. Another came creeping upon her as quickly as the last.
The woman again, this time she was crying. A sorrowful and deep cry. One that only came from a wound so deep to her heart, a great heart ache that made those who heard it wonder who wounded the owner of the sobs so. Her sobs stopped in a gasp as she turned to look at her with red ringed eyes.
And it was gone.
Distance: 10
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Yayoi rolled 1 4-sided dice:
4
Total: 4 (1-4)
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:24 pm
Snapping out of her visions, she soon noticed a second slip of paper where the previous one had been. How did she miss that?
She quickly read it and soon she put 2 and 2 together. Quickly entering the code into the number pad, she sprinted through the door and into the outside world. Trees and fog lined her view. Even still it seemed the blackened figure was pursuing her here.
Distance: 10
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:25 pm
It was so close. She had to get away.
Ralifa ran. She ran through the trees, through the fog. Having no idea where she was headed. No clue if there was even anything out here that might save her. It seemed like she had run forever. And still the taunting and the snip snip snip sound haunted her.
At a time she thought she had been caught as her clothes snagged on a tree branch but she had quickly wrestled herself out of that situation. Though unsure if she actually had been caught if she could do the same.
Finally she stopped, right before running off the edge of a cliff. She bent over placing her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. But she had no time. It was behind her, so close. Frantically she looked around until she saw a bridge. It didn't look stable but it was her only hope of possibly getting out of here.
She wasn't going to jump off the cliff so she sprinted down a ways, stopping short of stepping on to it. Severely unsure of it's steadiness.
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